Metagenomics of the water column in the pristine upper course of the Amazon River

River water is a small percentage of the total freshwater on Earth but represents an essential resource for mankind. Microbes in rivers provide essential ecosystem services including the mineralization of significant quantities of organic matter originating from terrestrial habitats. The Amazon river in particular is famous for its immense size and importance in the mobilization of both water and carbon out of its enormous basin. Here we present the first metagenomic study on the microbiota of this enormous river. It presents many features in common with the other freshwater metagenome available (Lake Gatun in Panama) and much less similarity with marine samples.